Nassau cops help with baby's birth at Manhasset home

A newborn girl and her mother are recovering in a hospital after Nassau County police helped clear the child’s airway just moments after the mother gave birth inside a Manhasset home Saturday morning.

Officers Keith Owens and Stacie Torres arrived at the home on Locust Place at 7:43 a.m. and saw a woman in labor and the child’s father helping her, police said.

Within a minute, the mother delivered the girl into the father’s arms.

The father then handed the baby to Owens, who had a bulb syringe to clear the baby’s airway to help her breathe, police said.

"It was a beautiful experience and with what's going on right now, it is a lighter note to respond to," Torres said. "Everyone was very happy."

Medics Bolivar Graffeo and Dalena Tran evaluated the woman and her baby before taking them to North Shore Manhasset Hospital for further evaluation.

The mother and baby are in good health and doing well, police said.  

Officer Torres said while she thinks the pandemic could play a role in how police react to calls like this, there's no second-guessing any situation.

"We pretty much go into it because we’re prepared for these situations," Torres said. "The county trained us very well to handle these type of responses and with what’s going on, we just take extra precaution, preventative measures with personal protective equipment on."

Officer Owens said when a baby is being born, you do what you have to do to help.

"Under the circumstances, I’m just glad it went well," Owens said. "It’s more of a joyful thing after all is said and done. The stress is gone."